Serum enzyme and ferritin concentrations in acute leukaemia

Serum ferritin concentrations were determined in 142 untreated cases of acute leukaemia. No correlation between type of leukaemia as defined by morphology and immunology and the level of serum ferritin was found. Samples were also tested for lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), phosphohexose isomerase (PHI), B-glucuronidase (B-gluc), leucine aminopeptidase (LAP), and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. Serum ferritin was significantly correlated with serum PHI, LAP, and LDH concentrations but not with leukaemic mass as assessed by total white blood cell count (WBC). Ferritin and CRP levels were also significantly correlated suggesting that ferritin may behave to some extent like an acute phase reactant in acute leukaemia.